Which artistic technique became popular during the Renaissance that focused on realism and human emotion?

The technique that became popular during the Renaissance, focusing on realism and human emotion, is linear perspective. This innovative method allowed artists to create the illusion of depth and space on a flat surface, making their artwork more lifelike and engaging. By using a vanishing point where parallel lines appear to converge, artists were able to depict scenes with a realistic spatial arrangement.

This shift towards realism in art was a significant characteristic of the Renaissance period, which valued human experience, emotion, and the natural world. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael utilized linear perspective extensively in their work, enhancing the emotional impact and realism of their scenes.

The other choices, while important in their own rights, do not pertain to the Renaissance's emphasis on realism and human emotion. Impressionism emerged later, focusing on capturing the effects of light and color rather than linear depth. Abstract expressionism and surrealism are 20th-century movements that explore abstraction and dream-like imagery, diverging from the Renaissance ideals of realism and human emotion.